Bridge-gate



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. P. MALONEY. BRIDGE GATE.

No. 433,949. Patented Aug. 12, 1890.

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BRIDGE GATE.

No. 433,949. Patented Aug. 12,1890.

Nrrnr) STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

J OIIN P. MALONEY, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

BRI DG E-GATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 433,949, dated August12, 1890.

Application filed December 23, 1889. Serial No. 334,609. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it ntay concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN P. MALONEY, of Milwaukee, in the county ofMilwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Bridge-Gates; and I do hereby declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exact description of said invention, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of referencemarked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in bridge-gates that are adaptedfor use with swinging bridges, and that are automatically opened andclosed by the swinging of the bridge.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of an abutment or approach toa bridge with my improved gates and a portion of the mechanism foroperating them shown in connection therewith. Fig. 2 is a verticaltransverse section on line 2 2 of Fig. 1, in connection with the end ofa swinging bridge, the gate being shown as swung open inwardly overtheend of the bridge. Fig. 3 is a detail plan of the rack on the end of thebridge and the cogwheel and mechanism geared thereto. Fig. 4 is anelevation of a modified form of gates and mechanism for operating them.

A is the abutment or approach to the bridge. In that form of my deviceshown in Figs. 1 and 2 the gates B B and B B are each secured rigidly totheir respective vertical posts C O and O O, the gates B B being adaptedto swing across and close the carriage-way, while the gates 3 B areadapted to swing across and close the sidewalks. A fence or guard D,supported on the abutment A, extends on the abutment both ways from theouter edges of the gates B B. The posts 0 C have their bearingsin theabutmentA and are revoluble therein. These posts are also furnished withfixed pinions E E, or are geared to a post having a pinion E by pinionsE E, as shown at the left in Fig. I. The pinions E E each mesh with oneof the racks F F, which racks are adapted to reciprocate endwise in waystherefor fixed on the abutment A. The racks F F are each connected byone of the rods G G to one of the cranks H II, respectively, rigid 011shafts I I. The shafts I I have their journalbearings in boxes thereforsecured to the abutment A. The shafts I I areeach provided with acog-wheel K, which cog-wheels mesh with each other, and one of theshafts is provided with a fixed cog-wheel L. A rack M is affixed to theend of the swinging bridge N, which rack is located opposite to and isadapted to mesh with the cog-wheel L. The rack M is so located on thebridge that when the bridge is closed the center of the rack is oppositeto and in gear with the cog-wheel, and the rack is of such length thatas the bridge swings either to the right or left the cog-wheel L isrotated a one-half revolution, and the racksF F and pinions E E havesuch proportionate size and relation thereto that by the half-revolutionof the cog wheel L the gates B B and. B B are swung at one-quarterrevolution, being carried through an arc of ninety degrees. By thisconstruction, when the gates are closed, as shown in Fig. 1, the bridgebeing at the time open will, as it is swung back to close it, carry therack M into engagement with the cog-wheel L, and when the bridge comesto its fully-closed position will have swung the gate open inwardly intothe position shown in Fig. 2. Then the bridge is again swung open, thereverse action of the gates will occur, whereby the gates will be againclosed, occupying the position shown in Fig. 1.

In Fig. 1 the two gate-posts C and G at the right hand of the figure areshown ata distance apart and each provided with a pinion E, meshing witha rack F,'while at the left hand the two corresponding posts 0 and O"are shown as located very near to each other, one of the posts 0 onlybeing geared to the rack F, while the other post 0 is geared to the post0. Either of these forms of construction may be used; but probably onlyone form would be desirable in connection with any particular bridge.

In the modified form of device shown in Fig. 4 I use vertically-tiltingbars 0 O instead of horizontally-swinging gates, the bars being pivotedmedially in standards P 'P, fixed on the abutment A. Flexible cables orchains R R are connected, respectively, to the outer ends of each of thebars 0 O, which cables run over idle-pulleys S S, supported on theabutmentnear thefoot of the standards I P, and are secured to groovedwheels T T, rigid on shafts U U, having bearings in blocks thereforsupported on the abutment A. The shafts U U are provided with pinions VV, which mesh with the racks F F. respond to the racks F F (shown inFig. 1) and are connected by the rods G G to the mechanism for operatingthem. (Shown centrally in Fig. 1.)

The bars 0 O are somewhat longer and heavier in their inner arms than intheirouter arms, and are adapted to close by gravity, being soconstructed that they do not rise quite to the vertical line whenopened. These bars 0 O are also preferably provided with swinging legs WW, adapted to assist in supporting them in horizontal position whenclosed, as shown in Fig. 4.

The devices herein described are also adapted, with such slight changesas would occur to any mechanic, for use with passenger and freightelevators for opening and closing the doors thereto, and for othersimilar mechanical constructions.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

.l. The combination, with a swinging bridge and a segmental rack aflixedthereto, of two vertical shafts having their hearings in the abutmentsof the bridge and geared to each other, one of which shafts has acog-Wheel meshing with the rack on the bridge, and both of which shaftsare provided with cranks thereon, horizontal racks having ways in theThese racks F F corabutment to the bridge, in which they arereciprocated by the swinging of the bridge, being connected to thecranks on said vertical shafts by connecting-rods, the horizontalreciprocating racks being adapted to swing gates across and away fromthe approach to the bridge, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a tilting bridgegate, of a cable secured to onearm of the gate, a wheel on which the cable is wound, a reciprocatingrack meshing with a pinion on the wheel-shaft, and means, substantiallyas described, for reciprocating the rack by the swinging of the bridge,for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination, with a swinging bridge and a rack thereon, of ashaft havingits bearings in an abutment on which the gate is 10- cated,which shaft carries a cog-wheel meshing with the rack on the bridge anda crank fixed thereon, areciprocating rack connected to the crank, awheel rotated by the reciprocating rack through a pinion on its shaft,and a cable secured to and winding on the wheel and attached to one armof a tilting gate, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN P. MALONEY.

